


Crash

by oMUSEo



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Chance Meetings, F/M, Hopelight - Freeform, Hoperaiweek2017, hoperai2017
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-26
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 10:33:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10435752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oMUSEo/pseuds/oMUSEo
Summary: In hindsight, Hope should have known...It’s like being the guy who crashes new cars into a brick wall for a living. The car changes, but the front will still be smashed against the same brick wall that’s been painted over so many times it’s starting to look like a lego block. Sometimes, if he’s lucky, the car hits the wall with minimal damage, but most of the time he’ll find the license plate resting on the backseat and the steering wheel hanging from his neck like this season's fashion trend.





	

In hindsight, Hope should have known. There is no other way it could have gone. He had dreamed about it for countless nights, tucked away in his bed and his mind heavy with longing. It only made sense to expect life to, yet again, give him a surprise. And everyone loves a good surprise, but the thing about the surprises is that they are better when you don’t expect it; And after the punchline becomes predictable, it starts to feel like just plain bad luck. It’s like being the guy who crashes new cars into a brick wall for a living. The car changes, but the front will still be smashed against the same brick wall that’s been painted over so many times it’s starting to look like a lego block. Sometimes, if he’s lucky, the car hits the wall with minimal damage, but most of the time he’ll find the license plate resting on the backseat and the steering wheel hanging from his neck like this season's fashion trend. And if this were before he’d step on the break and say the car doesn’t have to crash, but that was then

And this was now. So, it would only make sense, that he would wake up late. His alarm ringing quietly under his bed where it had fallen the night prior, probably tucked between boxes of albums he probably would never look at. Mementos of life lacking light. 

Then, he would rush out the door, forgoing his morning coffee and mentally preparing himself for the tar-like goo that came from the coffee machine in his office at the University. A lady smiles at him on the bus and it’s probably because she thinks it’s cute how disheveled he looks in his university sweatshirt. With the way his hair is probably reaching towards the roof of the bus, She probably thinks he’s a student not the teacher. His stop comes and he rushes out and down the long walkway that leads to the lobby of the school; Where he is greeted by Alyssa. She offers a smirk and hands him the coffee in her hands before continuing her conversation with the receptionist. He thanks her and makes his way to the elevator taking tentative sip from slightly steaming cup.

There’s only eight minutes till his class starts and his office is easily five away from the elevator and four away from his classroom. If he runs fast enough, he’ll only be a few minutes late. The elevator dings as the doors slide open and he starts his sprint, narrowly dodging a few of his co-workers and turning sharply into the corridor that houses his office. 

He doesn’t make it more than a few feet when he collides into another figure completely knocking them over with the force the impact and toppling on top them.

“I’m so sorry,” he starts and hasty apology ready to fall on off his lips and he stands, reaching forward to help the latest victim of one of his car crashes. Their hands touch and he freezes.

He really should have known she’d look the same. She’d always been stubborn and something small like a new world couldn’t change her. There were little changes of course. Her hair was still rosy, but now fell freely onto her shoulders, like a curtain slipping down, softly when she moved. Her usual garbs traded for a t-shirt and jeans and, instead of sword, a simple bag hung loosely from her shoulder. She stood up easily and straightening herself out, offering no expression to the stunned Hope; only to break as the silence stretched.

“Uh…” she starts slowly, “Hey?”

“Light,” Hope breathes, a little more audible that a whisper. His stomach is doing flips. It’s like his on the most terrible roller coaster. There’s no turns and flats, just a series of loops that don’t seem to have any foreseeable end.

“Why are you here?” He continues.

And it’s on fire.

“I mean,” He immediately supplements, “you’re here”. He tries a smile, but he’s pretty sure his mouth just fell open and now he’s quiet again. Because Lightning is in front of him and he never was good at saying what was on his mind. “Sorry” comes to mind because he just knocked her over, but she’s already helped herself up so there’s not much his words can do for her. “I’ve missed you” also makes an appearance, but what about after that? Most people hug after a reunion like this. Not stand there gawking at the person, mouth open. Would she even want to hug him?

Somewhere in the distance, his brain registers a ringing sound that pulls him out his stupor.

“Fudge,” he whispers. He forgot about class. His students are probably standing outside the room, hoping he doesn’t show up so they could just go home.

Lightning looks up towards the ceiling as the ringing stops and gives him a small smile. The kind that doesn’t quiet reach her eyes. The one that just screams quiet disappointment.

“Maybe now’s not a good time” She says hastily and begins to move. Hope’s heart starts to beat rapidly and the air begins to leave his lung. The cars about to crash. He can tell by the way his muscles tense and he stops breathing. The only difference is this feels a lot like an end, Like if he lets her leave, he might not see her for another few years when they both reach for the same container of non-fat yogurt. He can’t wait that long again and for the first time in a long while,

He steps on the break.

His hand reaches out and grabs her wrist just as she brushes past him. On reflex, she turn quickly and stares at him. 

“Come watch fireworks with me,” he all but screams. She studies his face carefully, like she looking for something more.

“Tomorrow,” he offers timidly, “I mean, if you want. If you’re not busy or anything.” He drops her wrist and misses the contact. Later, when he’s home trying to focus on grading, his mind will float to the moment he grabbed her wrist and realize how important that was. She was real. It wasn’t just his imagination or intense dream. She was there; close enough to touch.

“Tomorrow,” She nods and he catches a glimpse of another smile as she turns to leave, disappearing around the corner.

**Author's Note:**

> Look at me. Tardy to the Party. Posting the first story to Hoperai week on the last day.
> 
> Anyway,
> 
> Hope you like it!


End file.
